Message from Home
by OsakaBomb
Summary: Suri finds out from Moriarty that she has received a message. Future chapters ahead, but who knows how many?


Suri's eyes fluttered open from a dreamless sleep, and the static lights of Vault 101 filled her eyes. She turned on her side to keep them out of her gaze. She focused on the gray walls of the Vault, dull and boring as usual. Except now she felt welcomed by them. Her jumpsuit was draped over the chair, a habit still left over from her childhood. It started when she was 9, and 10 years later, she didn't even notice that she did it anymore.

She sat up from the bed and grabbed the jumpsuit from the back of the chair and slipped it on, carefully zipping it up. She left her apartment and walked down to the hall to the diner. Suri didn't see anyone else in the halls or inside of the dinner. She must have been the first one awake, she figured. She circled around the counter on the far left of the room. She swung the door to the refrigerator open and grabbed a Nuka-Cola from inside. She twisted off the cap and dropped it onto the counter. It clattered around in a few small circles and then stopped. She took a seat on a stool at the counter and took a long drink, reveling in the tingling sensation of the Nuka-Cola on her tongue.

"Don't you think you're drinking too much of that stuff?"

A voice came from behind her. She swiveled around on the stool, and there she saw Amata standing in the doorway of the cafeteria, leaning against the doorframe. She nodded once, "Mmh…maybe so."

She crossed the room, moving over to the counter and sat down on the stool next to Suri's, "From what you've told me, I would've figured you'd be sick of Nuka-Cola. If it were me, I'd be relieved just to have some clean water again."

Suri shrugged, "I guess I developed a taste for it while I was out there. The clean water is nice, but it doesn't have that same flavor.

"You sound like an addict."

"Trust me, I've seen an addict. I'm not even close to that."

"I have to be honest, Suri. I'm surprised you came back. That you _wanted_ to come back."

She sighed, "I am, too, honestly. But I am glad to be back here. As much as I didn't like the idea of living and dying in some hole in the ground…it was a lot harder to live in a world like that. No real friends, no home, or…"

"What happened to your dad isn't your fault," Amata's voice is sharp, but not unkind, and she leaned her face in close to Suri's as she cut her words off. "He simply made a choice. I know…I know that it was hard for you, but think of the good that came from his sacrifice. Besides…you finished what he started, and now you're back here with us. With _me_."

For a moment, Suri's heart felt like it was caught somewhere between rising into her throat and sinking down into the pit of her stomach. It was a feeling she had been avoiding and trying to keep hidden. But here, in this moment, it had nowhere to run and hide. In this moment, Suri lost herself. In an instant, she let go. She felt the tears streaming down her face, but made no effort to stop them. She'd been bottling it up for so long, she didn't even care about how she must look. Someone heralded as a hero, crying over bad memories.

She suddenly felt herself shift forward, someone else guiding her. Amata had put her arms around Suri's shoulders and pulled her forward, her head resting on her shoulder. She cried harder.

When the tears subsided, she removed her head from Amata's shoulder. She wiped the remaining tears away. Amata was smiling a sympathetic smile, "Better?"

Suri nodded. Amata smiled at this, "It's a little funny. For someone who was always wanting to see the outside world, I really can't imagine that you'd get homesick. Even after all that's happened."

Suri laughed, wiping eyes to make sure they were completely dry, "Yeah, I suppose it is a little funny. I think I've satisfied my need to see the outside world. I'm…glad to be back here."

"I'm glad you're back here, too."

"What about the others? Last time I was here, some of them didn't seem too happy to see me back."

Amata's face went grim, "Some people still don't want you back here. But they'll come around. I'm sure of it."

Suri nodded solemnly, " I see. I suppose I can understand why."

Amata turned on the stool to face Suri, and she put her hand on Suri's shoulder, pushing her so that she was facing her, "Suri…" Her voice went flat, suddenly growing serious.

"Yes?"

"Everything will be fine. Don't worry."

Suri remained silent. Amata's hands moved up from Suri's shoulder and she gently touched it to her cheek, "It will. I promise. There's just one thing you need to do first."

"What?"

"You need to open your eyes."

Once again, Suri's eyes fluttered open and are filled with a static light. But not the bright lights of Vault 101. The light is nothing more than the dim one above her bed. The vault's grey walls are gone, the cafeteria is gone, and Amata is gone. She is back in Megaton and back to the rusted walls and creaking, metal floors.

There were times when Suri wished she simply stop dreaming about being back in Vault 101. When she first started having them, she was happy with them. It was the closest she would get to being back there and seeing Amata again. She supposed she'd always felt that somehow she could get back there, after she found her dad. But after she was called back to stop the Overseer, after she was banished, she was at a loss. It felt hard for her to consider the vault her home anymore. But she still felt a connection to it. It was where she started. But the connection was made unrequited with four words. _'You have to leave.'_

Suri silently climbed out of bed. She pulled some clothes out of the locker next to her bed, settling on a white tank top, faded brown cargo pants and a pair of black boots. She sat down on the edge of the bed and started tying the boots' laces.

"Good morning, Madam!"

She perked her head up at the distinct English accent of her Mr. Handy. It floated calmly in place outside the bedroom. "Good morning, Wadsworth," she said, returning to tying up her boots.

Wadsworth's body rotated, switching to focus his second eyestalk on Suri, "I trust you slept well?"

"Not exactly."

"Oh, my! That is unfortunate, Madam. I happen to know plenty of home remedies that could help you-"

"No, Wadsworth, I'm fine," she said, waving a dismissive hand at him, "I'll just go out for some fresh air."

She stood up from the bed and walked out of the room and down the stairs to the front door. Wadsworth drifted off to the side to let her through, "Ah. Very well, then!"

As Suri stood before the door, she heard Wadsworth call out, "I'll tidy up the place while you're away, Madam." She raised her hand in silent acknowledgment. Swiftly opening the door, she walked out into the morning air, the sun hanging high above Megaton's walls.

She walked slowly along the upper ring, glancing down. The Children of Atom were down by the bomb, praying to it as usual. She looked up towards Moriarty's Saloon. To her, the fact that the highest building in Megaton is the bar says exactly what kind of place it is. The dream was still reeling in her head. As she reflected on it, and looked at the world in front of her now, she saw that she felt a disconnection to this place as well. There was no one here that she felt close to. Not in the same way she did in the vault.

She made her way up the metal ramp and it softly creaked and shook with each step she took. Standing before the saloon, Suri hesitated a moment before passing through the door. The grungy smell of booze filled her head the moment she entered. The saloon was empty except for Nova standing by the back alcove near the bar and Gob behind the counter, setting out glasses on the shelf behind him. There was no sign of Moriarty. She figured he was in his office in the back. Suri sat down on one of the barstools.

Gob turned to her and nodded a greeting, "Hey."

"Hey, Gob."

He walked over to Suri's side of the counter and leaned on it with his hands, "You're lookin' a little green around the gills. You okay?"

Suri figured the dream must have been showing on her face. She shrugged, "Bad night's sleep."

"Fair enough," he said. "Anything I can get you to stave it off?"

"Yeah. A Nuka-Co…just some water. Thanks."

Gob turned to the shelf behind him, grabbed one of the glasses and filled it up with water at the rusted drinking fountain near him. He turned and handed the glass to Suri and she put 10 caps down on the table. Gob took the caps and Suri took a swig of the water. The musky, irradiated taste blanketed her tongue.

"Say, Gob."

"Yeah?"

"I thought Megaton was the first on the list to get the clean water?"

"That's what I heard, but we haven't seen any of it."

"Strange…I wonder why that is."

"Beats me," Gob said with a shrug. "Do me a favor and ask them what the deal is next time you're around the Jefferson Memorial, okay?"

"Will do, Gob."

Suri finished up her water and pushed the glass away from her slowly, showing that she was done. Gob promptly took the glass to clean and place back on the shelf with the others. Suri began to push herself off the stool, "I'll see you later, Gob."

"See ya, kid."

Before she was off the stool, Moriarty stepped out from the office. Suri took only a moment to notice she was right about her hunch before. He shot Suri a stare that almost paralyzed her, nearly forcing her to sit back down. But she fought against it and stood to her feet. Moriarty approached her brusquely. That was when she noticed he was carrying something in his hand.

She saw that what he was holding was a holotape. He set it down on the far end of the counter and slid it towards her. She caught in her hand. He held the paralyzing stare on her, "This came for ya . I told ya before that this I'm not runnin' a messenger service."

Suri picked up the holotape and examined it. She tried to think of anyone who would send her a holotape, or even had a reason to, but there was no one who came to mind. After this realization, she looked up to Moriarty, "Who is it from?"

He simply shrugged, "Hell if I know. I didn't recognize the person. They didn't tell me who they were, either. Looked like any other wastelander."

Sure remained silent, not entirely listening to Moriarty anymore. She couldn't break her thoughts away from the holotape. Who could have sent it? She wasn't exactly an unknown person in the Capitol Wasteland anymore. Several names ran through Suri's head: Sarah Lyons, Bryan Wilks, Ian West…it went on. For various reasons, there are various people who could have sent it. But why anonymously, then? She couldn't figure it out. "Thanks, Moriarty," she said, and walked towards the door. He waved his hand in bitter acceptance. Figuring that was as kind a gesture she would get out of him, Suri left the saloon and began making her way back to her home.

The entire walk back was spent simply staring down at the holotape in her hand. She only broke her gaze away from it to open the door to her home. "Hello again, Madam!" Wadsworth was at the door, ready to greet her as usual. Suri passed by him without saying a word. "Oh," he stammered. "Well, I'll be down here if you need anything, Madam."

Suri moved swiftly up the stairs and into her room. She sat down on the bed, the holotape still held firmly in her hands. She couldn't stand another moment spent wallowing in agonizing curiosity. She slid the holotape into her Pip-Boy. It began to play, but at first there was no sound. But Suri could tell there was someone wanting to speak. It sounded as thought they were hesitating.

"…Suri. It's me."

Suri's heart skipped a beat. It had been a long time since she heard this voice. But she knew it instantly. Amata's voice was not one she would soon forget.

"I'm sorry this wasn't given to you in person. I wasn't sure if you wanted to see me after the last time we met. But the fact of he matter is, I…_we_ want to see you. Everyone in the vault.

"The tensions have died down. I never wanted to keep you out forever. But i was afraid that was what was going to happen. But we've been talking, and no one seemed to feel that way anymore. So I decided to send you this. This is an invitation for you to come back home, Suri. Everday, I've been worrying about how lonely you must be out there. After what happened, I won't be surprised if you don't want to come back. But the choice is yours. I…I'll be waiting. Goodbye, Suri."

The message ended with an audible chirp and click. Suri stared silently at her Pip-Boy. A wild cornucopia of emotions was storming through her. All in that one moment, she felt joy, confusion, uncertainty and incredulity. Yet, at the same time, she felt absolutely nothing at all.

Even though she knew in her heart what she wanted, a part of her mind was pushing it away. A nagging sense of doubt and mild resentment; the part of her that didn't want to go back after what happened. But it hurt her to think this. As much as she tried, she couldn't deny what she really wanted. Despite all her hesitations, she had a chance to regain what she wanted the most; what she _missed_ the most. She was going to embrace it. She was going to go back home


End file.
